---
title: "Assam project uses biochar from invasives to boost elephant habitat"
url: https://projectchintan.com/article/assam-biochar-invasive-habitat-9qlus
publisher: Project Chintan
author: Project Chintan Newsroom
section: Science & Technology
published: 2026-08-22T07:02:28.759Z
modified: 2026-08-23T05:00:06.871Z
language: en-IN
---

# Assam project uses biochar from invasives to boost elephant habitat

In Assam's Khalingduar Reserve Forest, a two-hectare tract in the Bodoland Territorial Region is being used to convert cleared invasive-plant biomass into biochar, aiming to restore native vegetation that supports elephant forage.

## Key takeaways

- A two-hectare area in Khalingduar Reserve Forest is the focus of an IAP management project.
- The invasive species targeted are Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, and Mikania micrantha.
- Biomass from cleared invasives is converted into biochar to support soil health and carbon storage.
- Aaranyak leads the field work with support from the International Elephant Foundation.
- Ongoing monitoring will address potential re-emergence of invasive plants to sustain native vegetation recovery.

## What Happened

The Assam Forest Department, with biodiversity NGO Aaranyak and support from the International Elephant Foundation, has begun a targeted management project in Khalingduar Reserve Forest within the Dhansiri Forest Division of Udalguri district, adjoining Bhutan. A two-hectare area has been selected to address dense stands of three invasive alien plant species: Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, and Mikania micrantha. The effort aims to recover native vegetation by removing these invasives, promoting seed-ball-assisted regeneration, and converting the cleared biomass into biochar. Biochar is produced by heating organic waste in low-oxygen conditions to create a stable form of carbon that remains in soil for long periods. >The field team conducting the operation consists of five members, who noted that the chosen IAPs compete with native vegetation for light, space, moisture, and nutrients, thereby limiting regeneration of grasses, herbs, shrubs, and trees essential for herbivores. They catalogued existing vegetation to locate patches with substantial IAP dominance and uprooted the invasives in the target area to reduce regrowth and relieve competitive pressure on native species. The project area will be periodically monitored for re-emergence of IAPs, with follow-up removals if necessary to sustain native vegetation recovery.

## Why It Matters

Officials and project participants say that elephants and other herbivores require a varied forage base of local grasses and plants. By transforming invasive plant biomass into biochar and promoting native vegetation recovery, the initiative seeks to improve habitat quality for herbivores and potentially enhance ecological resilience within the reserve forest. The project is described as a potential game-changer for managing invasive alien plants in the Khalingduar area.

## Background

The Khalingduar Reserve Forest is under the Dhansiri Forest Division in Udalguri district, within the Bodoland Territorial Region of Assam. For decades, officials have grappled with several invasive alien plant species that constrict native vegetation and limit food options for herbivores. In this effort, Aaranyak is leading field operations, supported financially by the International Elephant Foundation, to recover native plant communities and support a healthier forage base for elephants and other herbivores.

## Key Facts

- Location: Khalingduar Reserve Forest, Dhansiri Forest Division, Udalguri district, Bodoland Territorial Region, Assam, bordering Bhutan.

- Area: Two hectares designated for the project.

- Target invasive species: Lantana camara, Chromolaena odorata, Mikania micrantha.

- Partners: Aaranyak (biodiversity NGO) and International Elephant Foundation support.

- Strategies: Targeted IAP management, seed-ball-assisted regeneration, and conversion of cleared biomass into biochar.

- Purpose of biochar: A carbon-rich soil amendment intended to influence soil properties and long-term carbon storage.

- Monitoring: Periodic reviews for IAP re-emergence with re-removal as needed.

## What Happens Next

The team will continue monitoring the two-hectare area to detect any resurgence of invasive species and implement further removals to maintain space for native vegetation recovery. If successful, the project could inform broader approaches to IAP management and habitat restoration in similar forest zones within Assam and beyond.

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Canonical: https://projectchintan.com/article/assam-biochar-invasive-habitat-9qlus
Reported from: Multiple Sources